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Why are so many people confused about GMOs? It is what the chemical companies such as Montsanto and Dow are counting on. They state that crops have been ‘genetically modified’ for years and that what they’re doing is not wrong. They are counting on people to be confused so they can continue their campaign. Most people such as myself have no problem with these companies creating toxic foods. Those who want to eat it are most welcome to eat it. That’s right, Folks! Eat up! Enjoy! Feed it to your children and loved ones!

We, on the other hand, refuse to buy or consume anything unless it’s (1) Certified Organic or (2) at least labeled with the Non-GMO Projects emblem. The chemical companies would like you to think that there are a handful of tree-huggers who are trying to destroy them. It’s far from that. And ok, sorry for the sarcasm, but their crocodile tears are wasted on intelligent people. As always, just follow the money.

The truth is simple. All we ask is to be given the information that we require so we can make our own decisions. I certainly do not want to be ‘slipped a mickey’ in the form of some skeezy poison-laced GMO foods. All the reasonable, wellness-minded people in this country are asking is to simply LABEL IT and to make proper labeling the law. After all, if it is as harmless as the chemical companies want you to believe, then why are they spending millions and millions of dollars on lobbyists and advertising campaigns to stop any and all attempts to simply require a truthful label, stating that a food is either GMO or it is not. Why are they quietly paying off scientists to write phony papers about how safe GMO is?

Case in point: University of Florida agricultural professor of Kevin Folta. Mr. Folta has now been exposed as being paid by Montsanto to come up with a paper stating that GMOs are safe. Written proof of Kevin Folta’s receipt of bribe So, this is just one well-known episode. As is always the case, this is just the tip of the iceberg. All of the so-called peer-reviewed papers proclaiming GMOs as safe come from Montsanto’s own people, ex-employees, or so-called agricultural professionals who have taken bribes, such as Kevin Folta.

Now, to the reason for the confusion. The chemical companies continue to ‘sell’ the idea that our food has been genetically modified for hundreds of years. They’re counting on the average citizen’s lack of knowledge on the difference between hybridization and genetic modification. These are two very different things.

This article breaks it down very succinctly: Hybird vs GMO Hybridization has occurred when nature naturally does this over time, OR when humans have cultivated new plant varieties through selective breeding. This takes time. A LOT OF TIME! They did this by cross-pollinating two different, but related plants over 6 to 10 plant generations, eventually creating a new plant variety. To quote Jerry Seinfeld: “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.” BUT often a weaker plant results.

Genetic modification is a far different process. These seed varieties are created in a lab and are far from the ‘low tech’ process used for hybridization. GMO seeds are not crossed with similar varieties of plant. Actually, they are crossing different biological kingdoms such as say, a plant with a bacteria. ARE YOU AWARE THAT THESE GMO PLANTS ARE REGISTERED AS PESTICIDES WITH THE EPA? Pay attention now. It isn’t just the one plant variety that is affected. Montsanto’s btCorn isn’t just a toxic crop. It IS a pesticide. If you feed this actual pesticide to your cattle or your chickens or if you eat it yourself, you’re eating a full dose of pesticide. EATING IT. It’s not just a bit of residue from the surface of a plant that was sprayed with pesticide. It’s IN it. You cannot wash it off. This is occurring with all crops now – wheat, soybeans, canola and more (even though we don’t eat any of those anyway.)

This process has begun to poison our entire food chain. AND it is putting the small, honest farmers out of business. (That’s a very long story) I highly recommend seeing the film “Food Inc.” It is free for Amazon Prime members and is available on DVD. Another great film? King Corn . These are eye-opening and very concerning exposes’ of the manner in which corporate farming and chemical companies are ruining our food supply and destroying small farmers who have farmed their land for generations.

For now, I will use those with the above Non-GMO Project certification, but it is only a second choice for me. The only guarantee that you have of safe food is to buy certified organic.

I find it fascinating and yes, disturbing, when I look at all of the politics and greed that goes into the concept of ‘clean’. We want clean homes. That goes without saying. But at what cost?

The aisles of the grocery store are lined with products to clean your dishes, your floors, your cabinets, your glass, your toilets, your sinks, your furniture, your clothing and so much more. For now, we won’t even go into cleaning your face, your body and hair. How many people really stop to read the labels and even if they do, how many among us are chemists who can decode the actual language on the labels and what it represents?

In my opinion, EWG.org’s database is the most helpful of all one-stop web sites when it comes to deciding if a product is harmful. I do wish they would put out a cleaning products app for phones. They have one for food which is helpful, though. So it is left up to me to do my homework before I leave home. I highly recommend EWG, though. They’re one of the great watchdogs out there between us and the governments, chemical companies and other entities that really do not care about our health.

Cleaning products can contain dangerous toxins and poisons. They can harm your home and they can harm you. Simply inhaling some products can make you ill on the spot. Oddly enough, many people don’t think of their skin as a source of exposure but the truth is, whatever you touch will go internal almost immediately. Thus it is important to keep most household cleaning items away from your skin.

As with GMOs and other toxins, the producers of these products will go to great lengths to keep you in the dark as to the dangers that go hand-in-hand with their products. But then, hey, these are chemical companies the same as Montsanto and Dow and other well-known dangerous corporations.

Our politicians in Washington are constantly in contact with chemical company lobbyists who go to great lengths to circumvent proper labeling. These politicians have the power to stop labeling bills or to add pork to important labeling legislation in order to do as their ‘lobbyist’ handlers ask. The truth is, there is very little that you can trust about most all of our household products.

The chemical companies really try hard to win you over, though. Trusting a product has nothing to do with it’s beautiful clear blue color or the pleasing shape of the bottle or for that matter, even the scent. A case in point? Glade! This collection of air freshening products is about as toxic as it comes! S C Johnson and Company is the owner and while claiming total transparency, they are far from transparent and even downright dishonest.

Now, when you mix a toxic cocktail of these poisonous cleaning ingredients, your home becomes a sealed chamber of chemicals that can harm, even kill you, your family and your pets. Yet none of the pretty labels in the cleaning aisle give a hint as to the true dangers within.

SO, I go for the safe alternatives. I like using vinegar whenever possible. It is the best glass cleaner around. My mom had us clean our own bedroom windows regularly with vinegar and water and newspaper. It is also good for floors, glassware, counters, coffee carafes and other kitchen utensils. My husband uses the classic vinegar / water / newspaper combo to clean windows on the car.

When it comes to laundry, I go straight to EWG’s list. Just look at how many truly dangerous detergents are sold. And remember, when you use these detergents, you are putting these chemicals right next to your skin! I have been using Green Shield Organic Laundry Detergent, HE Elite Care, Lavender for quite some years now. It is ‘A’ rated and I have to admit, I’m a lavender addict, even though I never end up smelling it on our clothing after using the vinegar. I chose this because it is fairly easy to obtain via Amazon. Our local stores have very few that are truly safe.

I buy the large jugs of white vinegar at the market and pour that into the fabric softener dispenser in my washing machine for all loads. It takes away any odors that could linger, it helps protect colors and it helps to rinse any soap residue that might remain. I never, EVER use laundry / dryer sheets or fabric softeners. They really are just money down the drain and often can break down the fibers in your fabrics so they don’t hold up as long. AND then there’s the toxic smell! I once lived next to a home where their dryer vent blew into our windows. (Thus another opportunity lost for fresh air.) They used the most sickening dryer sheets – and toxic too! Just for the fun of it, try Googling ‘DRYER SHEETS AND TOXIC’.

Some of the worst, most toxic items are the ones that are used most often in cleaning the home: bleach and Pinesol. It is really hard to pry those two items from the hands of any cleaning people you may have helping you, too! But it can be done. My Mom used Pinesol anytime we’d been vomiting so I automatically associate that horrid scent with nausea, thus any cleaning help I’ve ever had has been banned from ever using that.

Bleach is toxic to breathe, toxic for your skin and it really doesn’t do what you think it does. You think that bleach will get rid of mold, don’t you? Think again! It only gets whatever is on the surface, allowing the mold and mildew below to safely multiply out of site. If your fingers are exposed to bleach, your fingernails will loosen from the nail beds. You can get chemical burns on your skin with bleach. The list goes on and on. There are far better alternatives out there.

For instance, the best thing for heavy mold and mildew is industrial strength (30%) Hydrogen Peroxide. Of course, you’d want to wear gloves to prevent a chemical burn, but this is a very effective and ultimately, very safe way to get rid of serious problems. Also, you can add the usual 3% strength to a spray bottle with some water to spray surfaces to prevent mold as well. (Don’t forget to protect any colored fabric nearby and test an inconspicuous area if using on fabrics.)

Now that I’m mentioning hydrogen peroxide, I have also found it helpful to remove small blood stains on white rugs or fabrics. The first choice for blood though, is the saliva of the person or pet who bled. Yup, it is hard to get my cat to spit on a spot she left where she hurt the pad of her foot, so that’s when the hydrogen peroxide comes to the rescue. The first time my husband got a bit of blood from a cut on the sheets, I told him to spit on it. He looked at me as if I’d lost my mind! But indeed, it broke up on the spot, and then disappeared in the laundry. The enzymes in your own saliva will break down the enzymes in your blood stains. I learned this little trick in the early 80’s when I was taking a smocking class. It’s easy to prick your finger and drop a bit of blood on an intricate white piece of fabric and the person teaching the class clued us in on the saliva trick. I’ve used it ever since.

My mantra “READ THE LABELS” holds true for your cleaning products. When that is not possible, if information is missing or if you need additional help, go to EWG.org. A sparkling clean home does you no good if it’s toxic.

I read a recent post where a company has surreptitiously sold 400 acres worth of GMO potatoes to grocery stores. It seems that even McDonald’s won’t buy this particular poison for their poisonous menus! (At the bottom of today’s post is a cut ‘n’ paste from the post about the potatoes, fyi.)

For me, this was the final straw. I will no longer buy ANYTHING that isn’t non-GMO. I don’t care if a recipe has a big gap in it. If it isn’t organic and if it doesn’t STATE clearly that it is non-GMO, I will not buy it. You really have to be careful when shopping these days if you want to save your family from serious disease from poisonous foods. Food producers, chemical companies and the farmers who are involved in the toxic food industry will do all they can to sell YOU this toxic stuff and they don’t care about you. They don’t care about your family and your children. All they care about is their own greed and profit margins. I urge each and every person who reads this to vow right now to do the right thing for their health and run these crooked people out of business. If no one buys their toxic crops, then they will stop playing games and trying to sell it to you.

Today’s trip to the grocery store even further solidified my thinking on this subject. Often, there are similar products available, but you must read the labels to see what you are getting. One of my non-organic short-cuts is an occasional Kind bar. They are generally healthy, they are non-GMO and they are gluten free. They don’t have artificial ingredients, are high in protein, fiber and nutrients. And no, not organic. Today I saw that Publix is selling their own brand. So I photographed theirs (and did NOT buy it) , and here is a photograph of the original, Kind version above it: Kind’s labeling tells us what we need to know: NON GMO! This is not to be found anywhere on the Publix brand wannabe.

Next up, I looked at something else on my shopping list – Gluten-free bread. Predictably, the first store I went to didn’t have what I want. (That is a massive source of frustration here in our third-world town!) The supply of minimally acceptable foods is never reliable. Anyway, outside of that little gripe which I foresee as another post another day, since the first Publix I went to didn’t have what I wanted, I considered buying another brand. I buy Canyon Bakehouse gluten-free breads because they don’t have soy and because they are non-GMO. But since the store saw fit to NOT stock the one I wanted this week (the multi-grain version), I looked at an alternative – UDIs brand.

My problem with Udis in general has been that they often have soy in their products, their fiber content is almost non-existent, and now I see that GMOs are obviously in there, since they don’t claim that they are non-GMO. These photographs are a side-by-side comparison of the Cinnamon Raisin bread from both companies. Note the emblems in the circles. Canyon Bakehouse is Gluten Free and Non-GMO. Udi’s makes no such claims about GMOs. AND I must say from past experience, the Udi’s simply tastes awful.

Needless to say I walked away from buying anything at this store because of the GMOs. I know, I know. It seems I’m constantly complaining about Publix but in Key West, there are two stores and one is no better than the other. AND they’re both Publix and both 2 blocks away from each other! (The other option, Winn Dixie, is a lost cause and waste of time. No one speaks my language there, which is English, and their supply of organics, non-GMO and gluten free is non-existent. ) The problem is that we have no other choices and it seems that Publix’s intent is to force the people of this town to buy whatever they offer, whether it is healthy for the customer or not. Not everyone is like me, though. Many buckle under and buy what they’re offered. Not me. I have a list and will then buy at Whole Foods when we go to the mainland, which is about once every month and a half. We load up and fill our freezer and fridge on those trips. OH, and to not totally denigrate Publix stores, when we’re on the mainland in SW Florida, we often go to Publix there and have a totally positive experience. They have everything we need in stock, the stores are spotless and the staff is bend-over-backwards helpful. In Key West? None of that applies.

These are just two items of thousands in a grocery store that on the surface appear to be similar, but when you read the labels, you will see that one is toxic and the other is not toxic – or at least not SO toxic.

Now, below is the article on the sneaky potato swap. Based on this, from now on, I do not recommend buying potatoes at all unless they’re organic.

After being rejected by McDonald’s, genetically engineered potatoes created with dsRNA technology, which may be linked to autoimmune disease in vertebrates, are being marketed and sold directly to unsuspecting consumers. 400 acres of these reduced-browning potatoes were sold in grocery stores in the Midwest and Southeast this summer. Simplot, the company that created these potatoes, has plans to increase the production to 2,000 acres next summer. The USDA has already approved the next generation of Simplot’s GMO potato. It’s only a matter of time until the EPA and FDA give the second generation potato the rubber stamp. Was your family part of Simplot’s GMO experiment this summer? Boycott Simplot’s GMO Potatoes. BOYCOTT GMOs.

It was time for yet another trip to the market. A family’s gotta eat! Today I’m looking at some pantry items. These are stand-bys we can keep on hand for quick meals when time becomes an issue. So, where to start?

Who doesn’t love a beautiful Nicoise Salad or a spicy black bean salsa? These are easy dishes made easier using pantry items.

First let’s look at a couple of real disappointments – items that have ingredients that are less than ideal and in one case, BAD. Just because it says organic, it doesn’t mean that there cannot be problems. ALWAYS read the labels!

I’ve been a fan of Annie’s brand for years, but lately, I’ve come across some disappointing items. Last week, it was a so-called ‘healthy’ boxed macaroni and cheese, but to be honest, anything that is boxed can’t be that good. Today, in reading the label of Annie’s Organic Caesar dressing, I was disappointed to find that they list a generic ‘expeller pressed vegetable oil’ Canola and/or sunflower). Canola is generally, BAD. It is a genetically engineered oil from the rapeseed. Rather than going into a detail on this, I am referring to a great article from Natural News. It starts ” Corn oil comes from corn: sunflower oil from sunflowers, sesame oil from sesame seeds, peanut oil from peanuts, olive oil from olives, Canola oil from…Canolas? What is a Canola?” The uptake? Canola is bad. There are many more good oils to choose from. It is made from a high-heat process using toxic chemicals in the process. It is touted by the food industry as being healthy, yet many animal studies point to serious and deleterious effects on rats and pigs. Why take the chance? I should add that we generally make our own Caesar salad from scratch. Hmmm…I’ll post that recipe soon. It’s to die for!

Another disappointing item? Justin’s Organic Peanut Butter Cups. These are a real taste sensation. You’ll never want the standard old junk-food peanut butter cups again. BUT there’s one nasty item on the ingredient list: SOY. Even if it’s organic, it’s still soy and soy is a hormone disruptor. I can’t understand why companies that appear to be health-oriented continue to use soy lecithin when there’s a far healthier choice out there in the form of non-GMO sunflower lecithin. As much as I like this item, I’ve stopped eating it now because of the soy. Hormone disruption is the basis of many health problems. Weight issues are the first that come to mind, but anything to do with your body’s endocrine system can be disrupted with soy. The World Health Organization reports problems from hormone disruption including non-descended testes in young males, breast cancer in women, prostate cancer in men, developmental effects on the nervous system, attention deficit /hyperactivity in children and thyroid cancer. Come on, Justins! Get with the program and stop using that stuff!

Now for the good things. While I always encourage using fresh and healthy items, there are times that you just need a bit of help in the kitchen. That’s when we go to the pantry for our jarred or canned items. The packaging is important. If possible, buy these items in jars where you will have little or no BPA exposure. If in cans, be sure they’re marked as BPA-free.

Who wants to make sauerkraut from scratch? Not me! I occasionally find some organic chicken sausages for a quick dinner, brown them and cook with sauerkraut. I’ve been really happy with the Eden Organic product. The ingredients? Organic cabbage, water and sea salt. That’s all you need! This is a good pantry item to have on hand.

If you don’t have nut allergies, a great snack always includes peanut butter. It’s high in energy, protein and fiber. And the best peanut butter contains absolutely NOTHING but organic peanuts. You can spread on apple wedges for a quick snack or on organic bread (ours is gluten free) with sliced bananas for an old fashioned peanut butter and banana sandwich. Oh, my Mama loved those!

Kalamata Olives are a great addition to salads and for appetizers. These organic olives are particularly good and I use them in a Nicoise salad (as shown above) and for any Greek style dish. What’s in them? Organic Kalamata olives, water, organic red wine vinegar and sea salt. You can make a divine main-dish salad from leftovers such as chilled green beans, hard boiled eggs, sliced seared fresh tuna, fresh herbs and olives with a light mustard-based dressing. Add Feta cheese for a Greek accent or some hard Italian or French cheese shreds for a more northern Mediterranean accent.

Living in South Florida, one comes to rely on black beans in many dishes. Black bean chili is a healthy one-dish meal. Black beans are wonderful in salads, salsa and of course, over rice. The ideal manner of preparing is using dried black beans that have been soaked overnight and slow-cooked. However, since there isn’t always time for that, canned black beans are a great pantry item to add protein, fiber, vitamins and iron to your diet. (Note: If using corn in your black bean salsa as shown to the right, be sure you have organic, non-GMO corn!)

At the risk of being downright boring, I can’t remind you enough: READ THE LABELS!

I generally do not eat dairy. Think about it. Humans are the only species that drinks the milk of other species. And humans are the only species that drinks that milk of other species, after weaning. Our systems aren’t made to process it well. Those of us who have fine-tuned our diet have an even greater problem with dairy. I don’t crave it and don’t want it – except for CHEESE!!!!

Actually, cheese has some excellent nutritional benefits, as long as you don’t overdo it and overload on the fat content. And, cheese doesn’t give me a problem! While I don’t think we’re technically ‘lactose intolerant’, those who are lactose intolerant have no problem with cheese. Why? When milk turns to cheese, it goes through a process called acidification, which is a souring process. The lactose in the milk converts to lactic acid. It becomes a different entity altogether. By the time a cheese is aged, most if not all of the lactose is gone. The more aged or the firmer the cheese, the safer it is to eat if you’re lactose intolerant.

WHEW! I’m really glad to know all of that. Both Mark and I are cheese lovers, but we do limit ourselves, AND as always, I read every label when buying cheese.

There are organic cheeses that are really good and easily available in the States. Horizon and Organic Valley make some good basic cheeses and they’re reasonably priced. But if you want something really special, you should be looking at cheeses that are not made in the US. Knowing the contamination factor of GMO’s in this country, as always, you should go organic.

And knowing that Europe is very anti-GMO gives me a better feeling about their cheeses. There are some excellent Canadian cheeses as well. I could spend hours in the cheese section of Whole Foods or any other store that has an excellent cheese section. Trader Joes? Just read the labels. Trader Joe’s has inexpensive food, but it’s often NOT organic and NOT non-GMO.

When it comes to labeling, like anything imported into the US, the country of origin should be displayed on the product. In my case, I’m not looking to eliminate the product from viable choices. I’m looking for something that is a better choice than most cheeses in the US.

Until fairly recently, you could count on the type and name of a cheese to know where it was produced based on the PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) , PGI (Protected Geographical Indication and TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed). The European Union protects the name of regional foods and it is enforced within the EU and internationally via bilateral agreements with non-EU countries. This protects the reputation of regional foods and insures a consistent quality for those items. Wines, cheeses, hams, sausage, olives and beer are governed by this. Some examples of cheeses that fall into this category are Gorgonzola, Parmigiano Reggiano, Asiago and Roquefort. But cheesemakers nationwide have begun to infringe on these protections. If you ask me, it makes them look really bad. Yes, they make some tasty (and some organic) cheese in Wisconsin but can’t they create their own styles? Why do they feel they have the right to take something that is not theirs?

The US hasn’t been particularly helpful in this legal process, protecting these lovely foods, and thus, you see more and more US-made ‘imitations’ of European cheeses. Without the particulars of the location that they are traditionally made in, you aren’t getting anything remotely close to the original. For example, to be named Roquefort, Cheese.Wikia.com says, ” cheese must be made from the milk of a certain breed of sheep, and matured in the natural caves near the town of Roquefort in the Aveyron region of France, where it is infected with the spores of a particular fungus (Penicillium roqueforti)that grows in these caves. “

Interestingly enough, what’s good for the goose doesn’t seem to be good for the gander. Cheese producers in Wisconsin infringe on EU PDO products constantly. You really have to read the labels to know what you’re getting, because the people in Wisconsin have adopted Italian, Dutch and French names for their companies. Here is a prime example and if you ask me, it should be illegal. Those who know no better could be easily duped into buying a product that is in fact NOT Gorgonzola and NOT Italian. YET, many regions in the US feel they deserve the protections that the US denies European producers. Some examples: Georgia feels that to be labeled a Vidalia Onion, it must be produced in the area of Vidalia, Georgia. Idaho feels the same way about their potatoes and Florida is very protective of their Florida Orange Juice moniker.

So again, we’re back to reading labels. On my trip to the market yesterday, I took some pictures of cheese labels to illustrate what we’re talking about.

Note how BelGioioso uses an Italian Name, claims to be an Italian Blue Cheese, yet it’s made in Wisconsin.

Also, this Feta, which is traditionally a Greek cheese, uses a more Mediterranean company name and yet it is made in the US.

And finally, I found this interesting little gem (Castello) in the cheese section at the local supermarket. I’ve turned it inside out and found no country of origin. So I bought it, since I love this type of cheese, thinking perhaps that once it was opened, the magical country of origin would be revealed. Nope!

Now, I suspected it was from Denmark since I saw a small stamp on it that said DK. But again, it didn’t meet the requirements for labeling in the US.

As it happens this is a delicious cheese and I’m sure it’s from Denmark, but still, this proves that you must read every label, every day to know what you’re putting in your body.

And shame on Publix for not adhering to the law that requires that anything they sell is properly labeled as to country of origin. I might have passed this by, assuming it was another deception by a Wisconsin cheesemaker, if I’d not seen the DK in the small circle on the back. And most Americans don’t know the symbols for European countries.

Finally, the entire time I’ve been writing this, a commercial jingle from the 80’s kept rolling around in my head so I am including it below. Now it will probably embed itself in YOUR head for the rest of the day. Enjoy!

(Edit: Now after posting, I realized that this ad was for the American Dairy Council and our dairy products in 1987 were already soaked in pesticides. Oh well. All we can do is demand better for ourselves and our family. )